Spanish Police Arrest Syrian Gang Of People Smugglers

An organised criminal gang of people smugglers have been arrested in a multi-force operation coordinated by Europol.

Europol supported the Spanish Policía Nacional in dismantling an organised criminal network that smuggled migrants from Syria to the EU.

It is understood that the gang have been operating since 2017, and was involved in a wide range of illegal activities, including migrant smuggling and the trafficking of drugs and firearms.

The well-established gang used Spain as their gateway into Europe. While some migrants remained in Spain, the majority of those who managed to reach Spanish shores were destined for France, Belgium, Germany and Norway.

The police operation culminated when 13 locations were searched which resulted in a total of  15 suspects being arrested. Some of the items seized included two speed boats, six vehicles, electronic equipment (laptops and a tablet, GPS device, storage devices), drugs, fuel, phones (42 cell phones and two satellite phones), and over €500,000 in cash and documents.

Huge International Network

The Syrian mastermind behind the criminal network, presided over a widespread infrastructure that spanned nine countries. It is believed the gang arranged for the smuggling of at least 200 migrants from Syria through Sudan or the United Arab Emirates. In Libya, the smugglers used corrupt officials to facilitate the transfer to Algeria, from where the migrants were transported to Spain on high-speed boats.

In Europe, members of the criminal network based in Belgium, Germany and Spain coordinated the sea crossings and facilitated the secondary movements to the destination countries. The suspects charged between €7,000 and €20,000 per person for the trip.

The criminal network offered a ‘VIP service’ including transport, paperwork in some countries, flight tickets and accommodation along the route. They even included special extras such as a transfer from the arrival point on the Spanish mainland as well as accommodation in Spain.

The Role Of Europol

The role played by Europol cannot be understated. They facilitated the exchange of information, provided operational coordination and analytical support. A number of operational meetings were organised throughout this year-long investigation.

During the action week, Europol deployed the lead analyst to Spain as well as teams of investigators to provide leads to investigators in the field. Europol also provided extensive forensic support to the Spanish authorities to analyse the new data collected during the operational actions.

This exchange of criminal intelligence has resulted in the detection of new trends, including new methods in the migrant smuggling industry.